SIR - How wonderful for the people of Pakistan that our Government has managed to find half a billion pounds swilling around in its coffers that it can afford to donate towards the education of children in Pakistan.

I wonder whether I dare suggest that that money might have been useful to repair some of the slowly collapsing school buildings in Bradford, and rescue some of our children from grim Victorian surroundings and disintegrating temporary accommodation.

Dare I also suggest that the money could have been used to provide extra classes for the many school starters for whom English is a second language and some of whom have little or no knowledge of it?

Surely just a small part of that money could have provided an enormous boost towards lifting Bradford out of its usual place at the bottom of the education ladder.

Unfortunately common sense and knowledge of the problems facing cities like Bradford are something that this appalling Government does not posses.

Malcolm Wood, Westercroft View, Northowram